Wis. Banned From Killing Gray Wolves

[warpedskydiver 0]

Wis. Banned From Killing Gray Wolves
Thursday, August 10, 2006 9:41 PM EDT
The Associated Press
By FREDERIC J. FROMMER

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal court has issued a preliminary injunction barring Wisconsin from killing gray wolves, siding with animal welfare and environmental groups that argue the killing violates the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had issued a permit to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the killing of up to 43 gray wolves. The state argued that the permit was necessary to maintain social tolerance for the wolves, which are listed as endangered.

In a ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly mocked that rationale.

"Simply put," Kollar-Kotelly wrote in her decision, "the recovery of the gray wolf is not supported by killing 43 gray wolves."

Wolves were wiped out in Wisconsin in the 1950s after decades of bounty hunting. Since the animal was granted protection as an endangered species in the 1970s, wolves migrated back from Minnesota, and about 500 live mostly in northern and central Wisconsin.

In a statement Thursday, Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Chuck Traxler said, "While we are disappointed that we are unable to give states the tools they need to deal with wolf depredation, we will certainly abide by the court's ruling."

Traxler said that government lawyers were reviewing the ruling and no decision had been made on whether to appeal.

A coalition of animal welfare and environmental groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, brought the suit.

"This ruling creates an outstanding precedent for all other endangered species that are currently listed under the ESA (Endangered Species Act) and struggling to make a recovery," said Patricia Lane, an attorney for the Humane Society.

[kallend 2,150]

Wish we had some around here, to keep down the damn rabbits.

We even have rabbits in downtown Chicago now.

Vermin!

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[warpedskydiver 0]

Or to control the Coyotes, John I rarely see rabbits anymore and we used to have loads of them.

and people wonder why their little lapdogs get eaten.

[kallend 2,150]

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Or to control the Coyotes, John I rarely see rabbits anymore and we used to have loads of them.

and people wonder why their little lapdogs get eaten.

Maybe the coyotes drove all your rabbits into the big city.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[warpedskydiver 0]

yep and ate the rest

[Amazon 7]

The wolves also serve to keep the deer population down. They weed out the sickly and the ones who get away during hunting season when some drunk asshole makes a bad shot.

In most places there are more hunters than ever... yet there are also more deer that carry ticks with disease that can pass on to humans.

I see VERY few hunters who have the skill to actually get a deer by anything more than luck.

The Wolves are far better at it.. and need to be left alone to restore a balance in the north woods.

[akarunway 1]

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The wolves also serve to keep the deer population down. They weed out the sickly and the ones who get away during hunting season when some drunk asshole makes a bad shot.

In most places there are more hunters than ever... yet there are also more deer that carry ticks with disease that can pass on to humans.

I see VERY few hunters who have the skill to actually get a deer by anything more than luck.

The Wolves are far better at it.. and need to be left alone to restore a balance in the north woods.

On our first shot on the elk hunt last yr. we had a bad hit. We tracked her for hrs. We finally had to give up as was getting dark in no mans land. We left her for the mountain lions/wolves. Any lazy hunters out can kiss my ass. Sorry. Didn't mean to hijack the thread

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[warpedskydiver 0]

We see the same too, huge hunting parties with fancy gear and 20 men, then you see the 2 measley year old deer they drag out of the woods all ass shot.

[Amazon 7]

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We see the same too, huge hunting parties with fancy gear and 20 men, then you see the 2 measley year old deer they drag out of the woods all ass shot.

Yeah and then they CLAIM they wanted those.... because they are better eating

[warpedskydiver 0]

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We see the same too, huge hunting parties with fancy gear and 20 men, then you see the 2 measley year old deer they drag out of the woods all ass shot.

Yeah and then they CLAIM they wanted those.... because they are better eating

75lb deer tenderized with a 300WinMag and then aged to perfection in a nice warm garage.

[rickjump1 0]

As long as none are illegal immigrants, I'm a wolf fan.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[masterrig 1]

Quote

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Or to control the Coyotes, John I rarely see rabbits anymore and we used to have loads of them.

and people wonder why their little lapdogs get eaten.

Maybe the coyotes drove all your rabbits into the big city.

________________________________

Has it been unusually dry there?


Chuck

[warpedskydiver 0]

no the gardens and fields are green and lush

[masterrig 1]

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no the gardens and fields are green and lush

___________________________________

The reason I asked that is, here, it's been so hot and dry, a lot of critters come into town looking for food and water. Mostly skunks, rabbits and quail.



Chuck

[tbrown 26]

Haven't heard yet of any actual documented attacks on humans by gray wolves, though I'm sure they've picked off some domesticated animals.

On the other hand, when I was living in Washington state, the Feds were trying to ram recovery of the brown (or grizzly) bear down our throats, with philosophical one liners like "it's not really the great outdoors if it isn't dangerous". As far as grizzly bears go, if they're way the fuck out in Idaho, Montana, Canada, or Alaska, fine. God bless 'em, they're a magnificent beast. Etc, etc. But in the Washington Cascades, with the human population of Western Washington exploding and more & more humans taking to the hiking trails and camping grounds, it was a recipe for an inevitable and deadly conflict between humans and a species that attacks - and wins - without provocation. Unless the humans want to hike with an Uzi, which is of course illegal. It wasn't the right time or place for grizzly bears, but the Feds didn't give a flying fuck. Which makes them a lot less credible anywhere else that they try to protect a worthwhile predatory species.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[warpedskydiver 0]

Yep wolves are very reclusive and your lucky to ever see one before he sees you and takes his leave.

[Royd 0]

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Yep wolves are very reclusive and your lucky to ever see one before he sees you and takes his leave.

None the less, if you are a cattle or sheep rancher, and lose a good portion of your profit to predators, you should have the right to get rid of them without govt. intervention.

Wolves don't just eat what they kill. They are like any pack of dogs running the street. If they see an opportunity to rip something apart for the fun of it, they will.

[warpedskydiver 0]

Quote

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Yep wolves are very reclusive and your lucky to ever see one before he sees you and takes his leave.

None the less, if you are a cattle or sheep rancher, and lose a good portion of your profit to predators, you should have the right to get rid of them without govt. intervention.

Wolves don't just eat what they kill. They are like any pack of dogs running the street. If they see an opportunity to rip something apart for the fun of it, they will.

I think that action has been attributed to wolves far too often when at times it has been found to be the action of Coy Dogs. (they are a menace)

[cloudseeker2001 0]

I spent 7 days in the Gila Wilderness last May and never saw any of the Mexican Gray Wolves. It would have been very nice to have seen one!

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[Amazon 7]

I have run across 3 here in WA
Grizz here in WA while in the woods....one on Mt Baker in 1978 when I was carrying a 7.5 MM Swiss (.308 Win class weapon) I had at the time. I felt somewhat undergunned. It was a spring bear hunt... and the 7.5 was fine for a black bear.. BUT this was a BIG silvertip who was tearing apart a huge stump looking for grubs in the rotting wood.I watched him for about 5 minutes fascinated that he could tear up something like that. They are a protected species here and I would never shoot one unless it was actually attacking. I excused myself from its turf... and made my way back down the ridge. I thought I heard him a couple times... so I made a detour down a VERY steep alpine meadow.... to a road that got me back to my truck.

The other two were up in the northeast corner of the state in an area called the Salmo Peak roadless area.It is in the far corner of the state and borders BC and Idaho. Its an area that the Spokane Big Game council has been planting various species of big game animals in for 40+ years.I have seen full curl rams....dead of old age up there....and woodland Caribou....and Moose...and man there are a lot of bear up there. Over the years I had heard that they also managed to get the park service to put some of their "problem" bears from Yellowstone up there. Up near Watch Lake there is a huge huckleberry patch that attracts bear like honey. The usual bear sightings there are black bear but its not uncommon to see some of the Grizz.... who are descendants of the bears from Yellowstone. So if you want a TRUE wilderness experience ... where there are plenty of animals and few roads... its one hell of a place to go hiking......BUT I suggest carrying a BIG bang stick with you.

http://www.priestlake.org/attraction/spwildernessarea.html

Its one of the few areas in WA where you can actually hear that " Call of the Wild" echoing across the valleys on a cold still evening.....I likeeeeee LOTS.